Enhancing consumer responses to misshapen produce: leveraging awe to promote sustainability

Purpose A significant amount of produce is wasted because it does not conform to consumers’ aesthetic expectations. This study aims to explore the role of awe as a potential emotional appeal for reducing the amount of food waste caused by misshapen produce. Design/methodology/approach Across four experiments, the authors examine the role of awe in consumers’ acceptance of misshapen produce. In the experiments, to enhance the validity of findings, the authors use different produce items (apple, carrot, lemon), operationalizations of awe (dispositional awe in Study1, manipulated awe with writing task in Study 2, manipulated awe with video task in Study 3, manipulated awe with a billboard visual in Study 4) and consumer responses (attitude and purchase intention). Findings Results indicate that while misshapen produce negatively affects consumers’ responses, the emotion of awe mitigates this negative effect. Awe enhances consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions toward misshapen produce. In addition, consumers’ evaluations of misshapen produce mediate the relationship between awe and consumer responses. Practical implications This research introduces a new intervention, awe, that marketers can use to increase acceptance of misshapen produce. By integrating awe into marketing strategies, marketers, governments and scholars can foster a more inclusive and sustainable food system that values all kinds of produce regardless of appearance. Originality/value This research contributes to the sustainability literature by introducing awe as a novel intervention in combatting food waste. The studies highlight the transformative power of awe in mitigating the negative effects of misshapen produce on consumers by enhancing consumers’ product evaluations.